Agusta 109 pilot flies below far required clearance altitude in mountainous area.

Attributes
ACN	701930
Time
Date	200607
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : zzz.vor
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	A109
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	701930
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We had started our work day early with a body recovery. Returning later that afternoon; with no patients on board the aircraft; we (the crew) wanted to look at the morning recovery area from altitude. The recovery had taken place near 8700 ft level; so we flew over the area close to 10000 ft. Upon leaving the area we climbed to about 11000 ft to clear the west ridgeline. I did not know about a hiking trail traversing that western ridge. It runs nearly the complete ridgeline; a distance of 2-3 mi. As we were nearing the ridge; we noticed a number of hikers along the ridgeline trail; but with our fast closure rate it was unavoidable that we flew near a couple hikers as we cleared the ridge.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AGUSTA 109 PLT FLIES BELOW FAR REQUIRED CLRNC ALT IN MOUNTAINOUS AREA.

Narrative: WE HAD STARTED OUR WORK DAY EARLY WITH A BODY RECOVERY. RETURNING LATER THAT AFTERNOON; WITH NO PATIENTS ON BOARD THE ACFT; WE (THE CREW) WANTED TO LOOK AT THE MORNING RECOVERY AREA FROM ALT. THE RECOVERY HAD TAKEN PLACE NEAR 8700 FT LEVEL; SO WE FLEW OVER THE AREA CLOSE TO 10000 FT. UPON LEAVING THE AREA WE CLBED TO ABOUT 11000 FT TO CLEAR THE W RIDGELINE. I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT A HIKING TRAIL TRAVERSING THAT WESTERN RIDGE. IT RUNS NEARLY THE COMPLETE RIDGELINE; A DISTANCE OF 2-3 MI. AS WE WERE NEARING THE RIDGE; WE NOTICED A NUMBER OF HIKERS ALONG THE RIDGELINE TRAIL; BUT WITH OUR FAST CLOSURE RATE IT WAS UNAVOIDABLE THAT WE FLEW NEAR A COUPLE HIKERS AS WE CLEARED THE RIDGE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.